The star was reportedly filming Hollyoaks and an episode of Family Fortunes at the time instead.

She was summoned to court after failing to pay a £500 bill for an artificial lawn at her farmhouse property in Ormskirk, Lancashire.

NoMow took the actress to court and received an initial judgement against her to pay the bill, but she failed to make the payment.

The company later took her to court again and won a second judgement including their legal costs, but she is said to have continued not to pay the bill.

Merna's spokesperson said that the bankruptcy occurred because of a "legal loophole".

They said: "Due to a legal loophole Gemma was declared bankrupt earlier this week, being left with the choice whether to keep paying money to a company she was unhappy with or to take a stand out of principle and do what she felt was right."